Lush Expiration | Harry Styles AU | BOOK 3 ✓

28

Vicky West

Red left thirty minutes after Ethan's text. She had to get ready because Louis was taking her out for dinner, therefore we only talked about it very briefly.

At this moment, I was seated at the dining table on my own with another glass of wine in front of me. I leaned with my elbow on the edge of the table while supporting my head in the palm of my hand.

I kept asking myself 'Should I tell Harry about Ethan?'. A part of me knew it was better to tell him before Ethan would. Yet my best friend was completely right, I didn't owe him an explanation since we weren't on good terms during that moment in our lives. He was with Emma and I was dating Ethan.

However, I knew Ethan wasn't going to stay silent. He didn't care whether it would damage my relationship with Harry because it might help him out in the end.

Out of all things, I didn't want to be caught up in this drama with Ethan.

I wanted to distance myself from the situation, but it was impossible.

Ethan worried me a lot. While we were dating, I never thought he eventually wanted to come between me and another guy. Perhaps there was more to it than only convincing me to be in a relationship with him. Did he hold a grudge against Harry? Was he in some way jealous of his cousin? To get an answer to those questions, I had to confront Ethan – something I rather wouldn't do.

I reached for my phone, unlocked it, and scrolled through my social media. Somehow, Ethan was popping up everywhere. Was this happening on purpose or was it all coincidence?

I immediately looked up when I heard somebody entering the house. It didn't take long before I was met with Harry who took his jacket off and laid it down on the couch. He rushed over to me with a bright smile on his face. Delicately, he planted a kiss on my cheek before speaking up. "I'm sorry I took so long." He apologized. "I ordered pizza if you're okay with that?"

"Pizza is great." I said airily.

"Good. It'll be here in less than ten minutes." He assured me. "So when you go to the Moulin Rouge tomorrow, Natasha will be there instead of Judy." I watched him open a cabinet and Harry poured himself a glass of wine, too.

"Is she the new choreographer?" I questioned him, holding my glass in my hands tightly.

"Just for the next three weeks." Harry said. "I don't know how long Judy is going to be sick and I don't want to risk anything."

"I'll be nice to her." I told him, and the corner of his mouth quirked. "Do you need to be at the club tomorrow as well?"

"No." I heard him coming closer and he took a seat next to me. Harry loosened the tie around his neck and laid his phone down on the table – quickly muting it. "Ethan will cover for me because I've three meetings I need to attend."

I forced a smile on my face. "Great."

When he took a sip from the alcohol, he closed his eyes – as if he was enjoying the taste thoroughly after a hard day of work.

Once he locked eyes with me, his eyebrows were pulled together. Carefully, he removed a piece of hair from my face and his fingertips brushed against my cheeks.

"You seem tired." he whispered.

"I am." I said, not sure if he was buying it.

"Is there something wrong?" Harry asked as he cupped my face.

"No, just tired." I find myself saying.

He looked at me as if he was concerned, but he wasn't able to ask me anything when the doorbell rang and he had to get the pizza. "Give me a second." Harry said and he kissed my forehead softly.